Police: Teens disrobed, filmed

The students involved told police it was part of a homecoming scavenger hunt. Crystal River High's principal says it was not a sanctioned event.

ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published September 25, 2004

CRYSTAL RIVER - Police are investigating a Thursday night incident that involved two high school girls disrobing while fellow students recorded them on videotape.

About 11:30 p.m., police received a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in the back lot of Kings Bay Plaza at U.S. 19 and Kings Bay Drive. Officers investigated and found five Crystal River High School students in a vehicle with a video camera, said police spokeswoman Martha Langston.

The teens told police the taping was part of a homecoming scavenger hunt for Crystal River High students, Langston said.

Police confiscated the camera and tape. But on Friday they wouldn't say exactly what the officers saw when they found the vehicle or what they found on the tape.

No arrests have been made yet in the case, Crystal River Chief Steve Burch said. The State Attorney's Office also reviewed the tape; however, the criminal investigation is still in the hands of Crystal River police, Burch said. Burch declined to give additional information.

"We're talking about a very sensitive investigation," he said.

Stripping was not part of any school scavenger hunt, according to Crystal River High School officials.

"The scavenger hunt was not a sanctioned homecoming event," principal Steve Myers said. "It has nothing to do with us."

Thursday evening was the Pirate Prowl, the school's official annual homecoming tradition, which included a variety of student activities at the school.

Myers could not comment on any disciplinary actions the school might take in connection with the incident, but he said school officials will cooperate with police.

Times staff writer Barbara Behrendt contributed to this report. Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 860-7312 or avansickle@sptimes.com